<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.1//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml11/DTD/xhtml11.dtd"[
    <!ENTITY % brandDTD SYSTEM "chrome://branding/locale/brand.dtd" >
    %brandDTD;
    <!ENTITY % platformDTD SYSTEM "chrome://browser/locale/help/platformStrings.dtd" >
    %platformDTD;
]>
<!--
Contributors:
  David Tenser <david.tenser@comhem.se> (original author)
  Steffen Wilberg <steffen.wilberg@web.de>
-->
<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">
<head>
	<title>Managing Cookies</title>
	<link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="chrome://help/skin/helpFileLayout.css"/>
</head>

<body>
<h1>Managing Cookies</h1>

<p>This document explains what cookies are, how they are used, and how you can gain
  control over the cookies stored on your computer by using the Cookie Manager in
  &brandFullName;.</p>

<div class="contentsBox">In this section:
  <ul>
    <li><a href="#what_is_a_cookie">What is a Cookie?</a></li>
    <li><a href="#setting_up_cookie_rules">Setting Up Cookie Rules</a></li>
    <li><a href="#accepting_and_blocking_cookies">Accepting and Blocking Cookies</a></li>
    <li><a href="#cookies_exceptions">The Cookies Exceptions Window</a></li>
    <li><a href="#view_cookies">The View Cookies Window</a></li>
  </ul>
</div>

<h2 id="what_is_a_cookie">What is a Cookie?</h2>

<p>A cookie is a file created by an Internet site to store information on your
  computer, such as your preferences when visiting that site. When you visit a site
  that uses cookies, the site might ask &brandShortName; to place one or more cookies
  on your hard disk.</p>

<p>Later, when you return to the site, &brandShortName; sends back the cookies that
  belong to the site. This allows the site to present you with information customized
  to fit your needs.</p>

<p>Cookies can also store personally identifiable information. Personally identifiable
  information is information that can be used to identify or contact you, such as
  your name, e-mail address, home or work address, or telephone number. However, a
  web site only has access to the personal information that you provide. For
  example, a web site cannot determine your e-mail address unless you provide it. Also,
  a web site cannot gain access to other information on your computer.</p>

<p>When you use the default cookie settings, this activity is invisible to you,
  and you won't know when a web site is setting a cookie or when &brandShortName;
  is sending a web site its cookie. However, you can set your cookies
  &pref.plural; so that you will be asked before a cookie is set. You can also
  restrict the lifetime of cookies to your current &brandShortName; session.</p>

<h2 id="setting_up_cookie_rules">Setting Up Cookie Rules</h2>

<p>By default &brandShortName; accepts all cookies, including cookies which
  would allow a site to recognize you effectively forever. If this doesn't suit
  you, you can tell &brandShortName; to delete all cookies when you close
  &brandShortName;:</p>

<ol>
  <li>Select &pref.menuPath; and open the <em>Privacy</em> panel.</li>
  <li>Select the <em>I close &brandShortName;</em> &pref.singular; from the
    <em>Keep until</em> menu.</li>
</ol>

<p>If you want to grant sites you trust the ability to store cookies permanently
  (e.g., to allow you to log in automatically to a site), click <a
  href="#cookies_exceptions"><em>Exceptions...</em></a>, enter the site address,
  and click <em>Allow</em>.</p>

<h3 id="all_the_settings">All the Settings</h3>

<p>These are the &pref.plural; that affect how cookies are managed by
  &brandShortName;:</p>

<dl>
  <dt>Accept cookies from sites</dt>
  <dd><p>If you don't want any sites to store cookies on your computer, uncheck
    this &pref.singular;. Note that some sites may not work properly when
    cookies are disabled. If you want to grant certain sites the ability to
    store cookies, open the <a href="#cookies_exceptions">Cookies Exceptions</a>
    window by clicking <em>Exceptions...</em>, enter the site address, and click
    <em>Allow</em> or <em>Allow for Session</em>.</p></dd>
  <dt>Keep until</dt>
  <dd>
  <ul>
    <li><em>they expire</em><br/>
      If this &pref.singular; is selected, each cookie will be removed when the
      site that set it has determined the cookie should expire.</li>
    <li><em>I close &brandShortName;</em><br/>
      If this &pref.singular; is selected, cookies will be removed when you
      restart &brandShortName;.  Web sites requiring the use of cookies will
      still work, but if you restart &brandShortName;, the web site will think
      that you logged into the site for the first time again.</li>
    <li><em>ask me every time</em><br/>
      Display an alert every time a web site tries to store a cookie asking you
      if you want that cookie stored.</li>
  </ul>
  </dd>
</dl>

<h2 id="accepting_and_blocking_cookies">Accepting and Blocking Cookies</h2>

<p>If you've chosen <em>ask me every time</em> from the <em>Keep until</em>
  menu, you'll see a dialog whenever a site tries to store a cookie on your
  computer providing the following options:</p>

<dl>
  <dt>Allow</dt>
  <dd>To allow this particular cookie, just click <em>Allow</em>. Use this if
    you trust the site.</dd>
  <dt>Allow for Session</dt>
  <dd>If you want to allow this cookie for now, but have it deleted when you
    exit &brandShortName;, click <em>Allow for Session</em>. Use this if the
    site doesn't work without cookies, but you don't want to have a permanent
    cookie stored for it.</dd>
  <dt>Deny</dt>
  <dd>If you don't want this cookie to be stored, click <em>Deny</em>. Use this
    if you don't trust the site or suspect that it's compromising your privacy.</dd>
  <dt>Use my choice for all cookies from this site</dt>
  <dd>Select this checkbox before clicking any of the buttons if you want
    &brandShortName; to remember your decision and not ask again. The site will
    be added to the <a href="#cookies_exceptions">Cookie Exceptions</a> window,
    where you can revert your choice should you wish to do so later.</dd>
</dl>

<h2 id="cookies_exceptions">The Cookies Exceptions Window</h2>

<p>Access this window by clicking the <em>Exceptions...</em> button in cookies
  &pref.plural;. Here you can make exceptions from your general cookies
  &pref.plural; for specific sites. Using exceptions, you can allow all cookies,
  reject all cookies, or allow all cookies but have them deleted when you exit
  &brandShortName;, regardless of your other cookie settings.</p>

<p>To add a site to this list, simply type the site's domain name in the field
  labeled <em>Address of web site</em>. Then click <em>Block</em> to reject
  cookies from the site, click <em>Allow</em> to allow cookies from the site,
  or click <em>Allow for Session</em> to allow cookies from the site but have
  them deleted when you exit &brandShortName;.</p>

<p>To remove a site from this list, select it and click <em>Remove Site</em>. To
  clear the list completely, click <em>Remove All Sites</em>. This will clear
  the exceptions list so your general cookies &pref.plural; apply.</p>

<h2 id="view_cookies">The View Cookies Window</h2>

<p>Use the <em>View Cookies</em> window to view and remove cookies. To access it,
  click the <em>View Cookies</em> button in cookies &pref.plural;.</p>

<p>This window lists all cookies currently stored on your
  computer, grouped by site. You can expand the sites and select a cookie to
  display more information about it. You can also search for a site or a cookie
  name by typing in the search bar.</p>

<p>To remove a cookie from the list, select it and click <em>Remove Cookie</em>.
  To remove a site's cookies, select the site and click <em>Remove
  Cookie(s)</em>. To wipe all cookies, click <em>Remove All Cookies</em>.</p>

<div class="contentsBox"><em>12 September 2006</em></div>
<p>Copyright &copy; 2003-2006 Contributors to the Mozilla Help Viewer Project.</p>

</body>
</html>
